Outside Looking In
by EmzLun
Summary: Abused. Broken. But strong willed. Clary will stop at nothing to get Seb, her younger brother, out of their toxic household and into a better life. But their Father has other ideas.
1. chapter 1

He was drunk. Again. I could hear him stumbling around downstairs. It was only a matter of time before he came to my room. Seb was asleep in his room luckily, but it wouldn't last. Tonight was the night I finally sucked it up and escaped. Seb deserves a better life, and I was going to give it to him.


	2. Chapter 1 (official)

**This is the official chapter, the first one was just an introduction but here's the real chapter. I think I'll update this every two weeks or so but I'm not sure yet. I'm going to see the feedback and decide. -Emz xx**

A sharp crack resounded through the house and my cheek flared in pain. He had me against the wall, hands around my neck, his breath stank of alcohol. But that was nothing unusual, he always came home like that. He hadn't been sober in 6 years, not since Mum died.

My name's Clary, I turned 17 today and this is my life. Abused, every night. A dead mother. Expected to take care of my five year old brother. Expected to work so that my father can keep buying drugs and alcohol. I honestly thought it couldn't get worse. Boy was I wrong.

New neighbours had moved in a few days ago and one of them was smoking hot. He had tanned skin, golden hair and his eyes, his eyes were gorgeous. They were gold, with little specks of black and brown. I had never seen someone so perfect. The rest of the family weren't too bad either, the older brother had blue eyes and black hair and the sister had brown eyes and black hair. Their younger brother was adorable and was around the same age as Seb. I guess golden boy was adopted because he looked nothing like the rest of the family.

I had seen him twice, once when they were moving in, and the second time when Seb accidentally kicked his ball into their garden. He seemed nice enough but his cocky attitude drove me nuts. He was also really inquisitive which I didn't like. I didn't want him to find out what went on in my house. But I knew I couldn't keep it secret long. Especially after tonight.

Black dots clouded my vision. Some thing flashed in his hand, a bottle? No, a knife. That was the last straw for me. Lashing out, I began squirming my way out of his grasp. He growled dangerously, warning me but I didn't listen. He had gone too far. Sprinting upstairs I yelled at Seb. He was in my room in an instant and I barricaded us in. Handing Seb my phone, I began to force open the window. It stuck and I cursed. The one time I really needed to get out, it decided to be difficult. Giving up on trying to open it, I smashed it with a chair. I grabbed Seb and threw us out the window, landing in a heap in the garden. I knew we couldn't stay there for long otherwise he would reach us, and I didn't want to see the punishment for that. I dragged Seb to his feet and we ran, straight across the road, to the only house that still had lights on.

 ** _Jace_**

Someone was banging loudly on the door. It was 2am!? Sighing, I got out of bed and went to the door. I smirked seeing who was on the other side but as soon as I opened it, the smirk fell. She hurtled through the door and slammed it, breathing heavily. I could see bruises in the shape of a hand forming on her cheek and across her neck, her eyes were streaming with tears and she was shaking.

I had seen this girl before, she lives across the road from us, with her Dad and who I assumed was her brother. Her fiery red hair was untamed and wild and her eyes showed so much strength. But they were emotionless. She had seen horrible things, I could tell. I had been in her position before. Maybe that's what drew me to her. Seeing her like that made me realise that I could help her. I could do to her what the Lightwood's did to me. I could save her.


	3. Chapter 2

_**Clary**_

A loud bang came from behind me, I screamed and hid behind golden boy, pulling Seb with me. I heard footsteps coming down the stairs but I was too scared to acknowledge them. Golden boy reached for the door but I pulled him back, shaking my head furiously. He looked at me weirdly but made no move to open the door. "CLARISSSA! OPEN THIS DAMN DOOR BEFORE I KICK IT IN!" I flinched, and heard a gasp from behind me and turned to see the whole family had awoken due to the commotion. They ushered me and Seb out of sight, registering the fear radiating off us both, before opening the door to my livid father.

"Sir, what can I help you with?" the older woman, I'm guessing the mother, asked.

" I believe you have some things of mine" he sneered in response, his eyes darting around, trying to find me and Seb. I sank further back into the wall and shadows. He made an attempt to enter but the boys held him back. He glared at them and made another attempt, pushing his way into the hallway. I squeaked and tried to get into another room, but he heard me, a devilish grin appeared on his face. Paralyzed with fear, I watched as he made his way over to us. My eyes locked with golden boy's and he looked at me, not in pity as I would've expected, but in fear and anger. He had seen this before.

"Now Clarissa, why did you run? We were going to have _so_ much fun" He grabbed me by the arm and started pulling me out the house. I dug my heels in and thrashed violently. I couldn't go back to that house. Someone had to help me. "Stop squirming Clarissa, you're only making this worse for yourself." I didn't stop. I had to get away from him. I tried harder, lashing out, trying to make him lose his footing but to no avail. "I said STOP SQUIRMING!" I was frozen in fear, but I had to keep fighting, for Seb. Seb! Shit where was he? I looked back and saw him in Maryse's arms, screaming at me and trying to get to me. I made one final attempt and managed to realease myself from his grasp. I was free. But then I felt a fist connect with my stomach. It sent me sprawling across the ground until my back hit the wall with a sharp crack. I stood up gingerly and faced my father. Golden boy and the other brother were holding him down, I could hear sirens in the distance, and then everything started to fade, and I slipped into unconsciousness.

 ** _Jace_**

I saw her stumble slightly, and then, as if I'm slow motion, I watched her fall towards the floor. Somehow, I managed to get to her before she actually hit the floor. But Alec couldn't handle the Father on his own, and when I turned around, I saw Alec on the floor and the door hanging wide open. Maryse rushed to Alec's side whilst I continued past, out the door, frantically searching for the bastard that just ruined his family. He was gone. Not a single trace.


	4. Chapter 3

_Clary pov_

I groaned softly as my eyes peeled open. Blinding lights hit me and I quickly shut my eyes once more. Everything hurt, I couldn't move, couldn't even breathe without a sharp pain zipping through my body. Why did I hurt so badly? Then it all cane flooding back. The fight. The neighbours. Holy shit what had I done? More importantly, where the hell was my father?

I sat up, gasping for breath and ignoring the dull ache in my eyes as they adjusted to the light. I looked around cautiously, scanning for possible threats and escape routes. What I didn't expect to see was golden hair sound asleep in the chair next to my bed. Why was he here? It didn't matter, I just knew I had to get out before he woke up.

There was a door straight ahead of me, but that would lead into the house and I couldn't risk being seen. Another door lead off to my right, it was probably a bathroom but I had to try. Slipping off the bed, I padded towards the door. It creaked as I pushed it open and I cringed inwardly. Looking back however, he had not awoken and I was safe, for now. My suspicions had been correct. It was only a bathroom. Cursing my bad luck, I headed back into the room only to walk straight into what I thought was a wall. I looked up, and was met with a pair of golden eyes. Shit. When had he woken up?

 _Jace POV_

 _' You worthless piece of shit! You should've never been born!'_

 _'No-one loves you'_

 _'You're pathetic'_

The nightmares were back. It had taken me years to get over my trauma and sort my life out. But seeing someone else go through the same thing brought it all crashing back.

I shot up, eyes frantic and wild. I should've been used to the nightmares, I had had them for years before Alec finally stopped them. But I wasn't, and every time it was always exactly the same. I looked down at the bed and did a double take. Where was Clary? The door and windows were shut, she couldn't have left, could she? The bathroom! Of course. I scrambled out of the chair and reached for the door. As I did, Clary emerged and walked straight into me. I almost laughed at her furious expression, she was so damn cute when she was angry. Yet when her eyes met mine, nothing else mattered. There was no life in them, the green was dull and empty. I imagined what her eyes must look like when she was happy, like green fields on a sunny day, or emerald gemstones. I was determined to make that image come true.


End file.
